Supporters of Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono both received breathless emails last week seeking immediate contributions to help Democrats retake control of the U.S. Senate next year.

But Schatz doesn’t have to run for reelection until 2028, and Hirono’s term runs through 2030.

Even though they were sent from the Hawaiʻi senators’ email accounts, the messages were from a different Senate candidate who will be on the ballot. 

Roy Cooper. Of North Carolina. Asking if he could “have a moment of your time” to explain what a great job he’s done as a state legislator, attorney general and governor of a state 4,600 miles from the islands.

Could y’all just chip in some dough to be split between Cooper and whichever Hawaiʻi senator the email came from?

Wait. Some guy from Carolina wants your money?

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This is the era of constant campaign fundraising, where even noncandidates hit up supporters for money year-round. Especially the noncandidates.

And most especially noncandidates who are never seriously threatened with voter-imposed early retirement. This describes U.S. senators from true-blue Hawaiʻi to a T.

‘Money Bombs’

Email solicitations are only one of the ways our senators help out their fellow Democrats.

For years now, Schatz has been joining up with senatorial allies such as Chris Murphy of Connecticut to hold virtual fundraisers on social media, merging their huge numbers of followers to haul in sizable amounts of small donations for other candidates.

They are profitable — “money bombs,” as they’re described by Andy Winer, a longtime political consultant and Schatz’s former chief of staff.

More traditional fundraising soirées are held on the mainland and in the islands by both Hawaiʻi senators to benefit other campaigns.

Such events will multiply next year in the lead-up to the mid-term elections. And with his ever-increasing national stature, Schatz will probably be taking to the campaign trail more than ever to support candidates in their home states.

But the most transparent method Schatz and Hirono use to spread the wealth around — along with 96 of the other 100 members of the Senate — is through their own “leadership PACs.”

Opening The Checkbook

To understand how senators organize the moneymaking and spending they report to the Federal Election Commission, compare it to a typical family’s finances.

There’s the savings account where money accrues until it’s really needed. This is the equivalent of a senator’s own campaign committee fund. As of June 30, Schatz had almost $2 million in cash on hand, Hirono about $1.3 million.

Okay, so it’s not exactly like a typical family savings account.

Then there’s the checking account, where money flows in and pretty much flows back out. This is comparable to a leadership PAC.

According to newly released numbers from the FEC, Schatz’s Hawaiʻi PAC brought in $311,500 in the first six months of this year, and spent $228,701. Hirono’s Pineapple PAC took in $179,000 and spent $179,671.

During the first half of 2025, senators raised a combined $33 million for their leadership PACs, according to analysis of FEC data by the nonprofit Issue One. The typical senator brought in about $245,000.

This is where the giving happens.

Hirono doled out $80,000 from her leadership PAC to the campaign committees of incumbent senators or candidates, and another $10,000 to Hawaiʻi Congresswoman Jill Tokuda.

Schatz gave $55,000 to candidate committees and another $35,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Not surprisingly, they tend to give to the same candidate committees — those in states that may be hotly contested next year (like their email friend Roy Cooper in North Carolina).

“They’re been around the block a few times,” Winer said. “They know which of their their colleagues needs help, and they’re clearly both looking at the big picture, control of the Senate.”

Where The Money Went

Recipients of aid from both Hawaiʻi senators include:

• Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, ($10,000 apiece)

• New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Lujan ($10,000 apiece)

• Virginia Sen. Mark Warner ($10,000 apiece)

• Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed ($10,000 apiece)

• Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper ($10,000 from Hirono, $5,000 from Schatz)

• New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker ($10,000 from Hirono, $5,000 from Schatz)

The spending will undoubtedly pick up from here. During the last two-year election cycle, Schatz gave a total of $156,000 to federal candidates from his leadership PAC, Hirono $163,500 from hers.

Don’t assume this all adds up to a big money drain from the islands to the mainland, however.

Of the 30 donors who gave from $1,000 to the maximum $5,000 to Schatz’s leadership PAC, only three were from Hawaiʻi.

And of the 14 such donors to Hirono’s leadership PAC, only two were from the Aloha State.

Maybe the moral of all this is that when it comes to money and congressional politics, it doesn’t matter what state you’re from. It only matters that you generate a lot and spend a lot.